In September 1996, the Missouri Commissioner of Education appointed a statewide task force on the Achievement of African-American Students. The findings of the state-level task force, the views of Missouri students, and the experience of successful educators all support the conclusion that the single most important nontangible element required to…

This report summarizes an assessment effort that began in the summer of 1990 and completed its first year in the summer of 1991. It is the initial stage of a longitudinal study that focuses on the academic achievement and attitudes of students in the St. Louis (Missouri) metropolitan court-ordered desegregation program administered by the…

This monograph documents major events in the Cincinnati (Ohio) School District (CSD) in 1990-91 concerning the Bronson Settlement, which was the result of a racial segregation suit against the CSD (Mona Bronson, et al. v. Board of Education of the City of Cincinnati). The Bronson Settlement ordered changes in nine areas of the CSD. This report…

This booklet tells the story of citizen organization and role in the school reform movement in the restructuring of the Chicago (Illinois) Public Schools. Chapter 1, "People Were 'Mad As Hell,'" relates the events immediately surrounding the Chicago Teachers Union strike that transformed discontent into community action. Chapter 2,…

This paper presents a study that investigated the significant differences between black (n=157) and white (n=1,307) women's aspirations relative to their participation in Women's Studies. The status of women students' career and educational aspirations was assessed upon college entry and again 4 years later. Students were asked to report: (1) the…

This study describes what some urban teachers at one school believe and know about literacy teaching and learning, and relates what they believe and know to two contrasting viewpoints about the way students become literate (mechanism and contextualism). Quantitative and qualitative measures were used to create summaries of teacher beliefs and…

This study examined the attitudes of fifth and sixth grade students from Chicago (Illinois) toward classroom climate in an effort to better understand factors that would encourage greater self-concept, higher achievement, and student and teacher behaviors. The study population included 185 fifth and sixth grade students attending the Philip…

The purpose of this trends and issues paper is to advance the search for creative solutions to the difficulties experienced by minority students and to draw attention to what teachers need to know and do in order to work effectively with a culturally heterogeneous population. Attention is given to the schooling of minority students in general,…

As part of the investigation into the achievement differentials between white and black students in Michigan, a study was done of the nature of sense of futility (SOF) at the individual student level and the relationship between the SOF correlates and self-concept ability. The sample included 2 groups of fourth and fifth graders in a random sample…

This report addresses the issue of how to reform and or restructure the educational system to respond more effectively to the needs of minority students and to prepare minority students for productive service and a better quality of life. In particular, the report discusses the achievement patterns of minority youth enrolled in California public…

A study was done of the success of the San Diego (California) public school detracking program, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), by measuring the students' college enrollment. The AVID program was developed as an alternative to compensatory education and remedial tracking for underachieving high school students, especially those…

The National Household Education Survey (NHES) was conducted for the first time in 1991 as a way to collect data on the early childhood education experiences of young children and participation in adult education. Because the NHES methodology is relatively new, field tests were necessary. A large field test of approximately 15,000 households was…

This book sets forth a process for implementing effective education and counseling strategies for culturally diverse populations. In particular, it helps to identify characteristics of cultures, to make comparisons between the dominant culture and culturally different groups, and to develop strategies or interventions for students or clients. Key…

This annual reference book presents descriptions of the approximately 350 colleges and universities with the highest proportion of incoming freshmen who come from the high-achieving group. The 1993-1994 edition describes 359 "leading colleges." An opening section discusses the guide's criteria for a competitive college, gives suggestions for…

Each year, Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) examines longitudinal data on fall term minority enrollment to identify trends which may be of interest to those involved in planning student recruitment and retention activities. The findings of the 1993 study indicated that: (1) 664 minority students enrolled at PVCC during fall semester…